Ventilation system for boats



Aug. 22, 1944. 1 s FLUOR, JR 2,356,391

VENTILATION SYSTEM FOR BOATS Filed July 19, 1943 isi 2@ y INVENTOR. am @Z9/ Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE The Fluor Corporation a corporation of Calif Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., ornia Application July 19, 1943, Serial No. L@5,301

14 Claims.

The primary object of this invention is to provide improved Ventilating systems for compartments or rooms in boats equipped with internal combustion engines either as prime movers for driving the boats, or for operating auxiliary equipment such as generators, pumps, and the like. More particularlythe invention is directed to improved boat Ventilating systems whereby the displacement of air for creating the ventilating air circulation, is accomplished by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge from one or more of the engines.

A co-pending application Serial No. 495,300 iiled by Peter E. Fluor on Ventilation and exhaust pipe cooling in boats, discloses an improved system for ventilating boat co-mpartments containing internal combustion engines, by utilizing the exhaust gas ow from the engine both to draw cool fresh air into the atmosphere of the compartment and to remove from the engine. The present invention is concerned with the ventilation of compartments in the ship other than the engine-containing compartment, although it is contemplated that the Ventilating system as a whole shall ordinarily include provision for Ventilating the engine room.

In carrying out the invention, the engine exhaust gases are discharged into a warm air conduit to induce air flow therethrough, as by jacketing the exhaust pipe with the conduit throughout the entirety or a portion of the exhaust pipe length, as later described. Ordinarily the conduit will be extended into the engine compartment and provided with a warm air inlet located to induce cool air circulation within the atmosphere of the engine compartment. Provision is made for Ventilating other compartments separate from the engine compartment by extending from the conduit surrounding the exhaust pipe, one or more vbranch conduits, as the occasion may require, leading to such other compartments to be ventilated. Individually the compartments are supplied with cool air through a suitable arrangement of inlet ducts. For the purposes of the invention, induction of warm air through the branch conduits is accomplished in a manner establishing effective air circulation within the ventilated compartments, by placing the conduit inlets at locations distant from the locations of cool air entry, and, if desired, by providing control valves for regulating the rate of air flow through either or both the inlet ducts and the warm air` outlets.

A further feature of the invention is the pro- Vision of a pressure responsive valve for preventair warmed by heat ing any back flow of combustion gases through the conduit branch into the Ventilated compartment. For this purpose, I employ a suitable type of Valve which opens to permit normal air ow from the compartment underl the infiuence of the induced draft, and closes, in the event for any reason of reverse flow, to preclude the possibility of noxious gases entering the compartment.

The invention has various additional particular objects and details, but these will be understood without necessity for further preliminary description, by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrative of the invention in a typical embodiment. In the drawing:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the Ventilating system incorporated in a conventionally illustrated arrangement of separate compartments in a boat; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View of the pressure responsive air valve.

For purposes of description, assume that the system is to be used for the ventilation of separate compartments located at the same or different levels below the main deck iii of the boat. As illustrative, I have shown compartments Il and l2 at a lower level, and compartments I3 and i4 above. Compartment l5 contains an internal combustion engine, conventionally indicated at I6, driving a generator Il, or serving as a power source for any other purpose. Access is had to the engine compartment I6 through a Vertical trunk or duct i8 extending to the atmosphere above the deck l0. The exhaust pipe extends from the engine upwardly through the duct I8 to connect with muler 20 above the deck.

The exhaust pipe i9 is jacketed by a conduit 2| including a stack 22 surrounding and extending above the muiller 20 and within which the muiller is supported, the conduit 2l preferably being extended downwardly into the engine compartment i5, and to the engine itself, to permit constant withdrawal of heat from the exhaust pipe throughout its length. The discharge of exhaust gases from the muffler into the passage within the stack throat at 22a induces air flow upwardly through the conduit 2| at a rate suincient for effective ventilation not only of the engine compartment l5, but other separate oompartments as well. In general, selectively controlled Ventilation of the several compartments is accomplished by 4connecting with the main conduit 2l, one or more branch conduits, the particular location and extent of which may be made to suit the requirements of particular installations.

As illustrative, branch conduit 23 is shown to extend within the engine compartment I5 and to be provided with an inlet 24 which, as in the case of the other branch conduits, may be controlled by a suitable damper or valve 25. Induction of air through the inlet 24 creates a downward flow of fresh air through the duct I8 into the compartment, and thereafter a cross circulation past the engine in rising to the outlet. If desired, further provision may be made for removing the warm air more directly from the engine, as by branch conduit 26 extending above it.

Fresh air may be supplied to the compartments II to I3 by any suitable arrangement of separate or interconnected ducts, as for example pipes 21 and 28 extending from above the deck II) to the `valve controlled outlets 21a and 28a, in the compartments as illustrated. Warm air may be withdrawn from compartment II through an extension 23a of the conduit branch 23, The withdrawal of warm air from compartments I2, I3,

v and IG may occur through one or more separate branch conduits, as for example conduit 29 having air inlets at 30, 3l, and 32.

As previously mentioned, provision may be made for precluding the possibility of exhaust gases entering the compartment from the conduit 2l. For this purpose, safety check valves 33 may be installed at suitable locations in the branch conduits 23, 2t and 29. While any suitable type and form of check valve may be used for this purpose, I have shown in Fig. 2 the valve assembly 33 to comprise a body 34 containing a flapper disc Valve 35 pivotally supported at 36 and engageable with an annular seat 3l'. The normal induced flow of air in the direction of the arrow opens the Valve to permit free air passage to the outlet conduit. Any back ilow of air or gas, however, seats the Valve to close the conduit branches against back flow of the gas.

As actually installed, the system may include various additional details such as the provision of gate valves or the like for closing the Various ducts and conduit branches against the flow of water therethrough under emergency conditions. Such details, however, are incidental to the invention and need not be shown or further described.

I claim:

1. In a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising a conduit leading from said second compartment, and means creating a flow of air from said second compartment through the conduit by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

2. In a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising a conduit leading from said second compartment and surrounding a considerable length of the exhaust pipe, and means creating a flow of air from said second compartment through the conduit and along the exhaust pipe by Virtue of the exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

3. In a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and

a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising conduit means leading from both of said compartments, and means creating air flow from said compartments through the conduit means by Virtue o1' the exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

Li. In a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending Irom the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising conduit means leading from both of said compartments, means creating air now ii-om said compartments through the ccnciuit means by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge through said pipe, and means for selectively controlling such air flow from the compartments.

5. in a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending irom the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising a conduit extending from said engine-containing compartment in spaced relation about the exhaust pipe, a branch extending irom said conduit to said second compartment, and means creating a flow of air from said second compartment through the branch conduit and along the exhaust pipe by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

u'. In a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising a conduit leading from said second compartment, a duct for supplying fresh air to said second compartment, and means creating a now or air through said duct into the second compartment atmosphere and a i'low of air tnereirom through said conduit, by virtue of the engine exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

1. In a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising a conduit leading from said second compartment, a duct for supplying fresh air to said second compartment, and means creating a i'low of air through said duct into the second compartment atmosphere and a flow of air therefrom through said conduit from a. location in the compartment distant from the location of Iresh air entry thereto through said duct, by Virtue of the engine exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

8. 1n a boat having below its deck a compartment containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and a second separate compartment; a Ventilating system comprising conduit means leading from both of said compartments, ducts for supplying fresh air to said compartments, and mean creating a flow of air through said ducts into the compartment atmospheres and withdrawal of warm air therefrom through said conduit means, by Virtue of the engine exhaust gas discharge through said pipe.

9. In a 'boat containing an internal combustion engine, a plurality of separate compartments below the boat deck, and fresh air ducts leading to said compartments; the'combination comprising conduits leading from said compartments, and means creating fresh air flow through said ducts into the atmospheres of said compartments and air flow therefrom through said conduits, by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge from said engine.

10. In a boat containing an internal combustion engineaa plurality of separate compartments below the boat deck, and fresh air ducts leading to said compartments; the combination compris-l engine, and means for selectively controlling the.

withdrawal through said conduits of air from the compartments. K

11. In a boat containing below its deck an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine to the deck, a. plurality of separate-,1,compartments below said deck, and fresh air ducts leading to said compartments; the combination comprising a conduit surround` ing said exhaust pipe, branches leading from said conduit to said compartments, and means creating fresh air ow through said ducts into the atmospheres of said compartments and air now therefrom through said branches and conduit along the exhaust pipe, by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge from said pipe.

12. In a boat containing an internal combustion engine, and a compartment below the boat deck; a. Ventilating system comprising a conduit leading from said compartment, means for creating a flow of air from the compartment atmosphere through said conduit by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge into a passage communicating with said conduit, and means preventing now of exhaust gas through said conduit into the compartment.

13. In a boat containing an internal combustion engine, and a compartment below the boat deck; a Ventilating system comprising a conduit leading from said compartment, means for creating a flow of air from the compartment atmosphere through said conduit by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge into a passage communieating with said conduit, and a pressure responsive check valve in said conduit for preventing flow of exhaust gas therethrough into the compartment.

14. In a boat containing an internal combustion engine, an exhaust pipe extending from the engine, and a compartment below the boat deck; a Ventilating system comprising a. conduit surrounding and extending along the exhaust pipe, a branch connecting said conduit with said compartment, means for creating a flowof air from the compartment atmosphere through said branch and conduit by virtue of the exhaust gas discharge, and pressure responsive valve means in said branch for preventing iiow of exhaust gas through said conduit into the compartment.

JOHN S. FLUOR, JR. 

